A conventional position detecting device for a vehicle detects a rotation angle (angular position) of a throttle valve provided in an electronic throttle apparatus (electronically-controlled throttle), a rotation angle of an accelerator pedal provided in an accelerator pedal module or a stroke (linear position) of a clutch actuator.
JP 2004-4114A (U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,543) discloses a magnetic detector module provided as a position detecting device provided in an electronic throttle apparatus. The magnetic detector module is an electronic device, in which a magnetic detecting element and an integrated circuit (IC) for processing an output signal of the magnetic detecting element are integrated in a single unit. The magnetic detector module detects the rotation angle of the throttle valve by detecting a magnetic field generated by magnets provided in the throttle valve by the magnetic detecting element. An electronic control unit (ECU) electrically connected to the electronic throttle apparatus supplies current to a motor, which drives the throttle valve to rotate, in accordance with the output signal of the magnetic detector module.
According to the conventional electronic throttle apparatus, terminals of the magnetic detector module and motor terminals are arranged adjacently at a connector part, where the magnetic detector module and the ECU output or input signals or currents relative to the ECU. If water or a conductive particle enters the connector part, the terminals of the magnetic detector module and the motor terminals tend to be short-circuited. To counter this problem, output terminals of the magnetic detector module are not located at the position, which is most adjacent to the motor terminal. A ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the magnetic detector module is located at such a position distanced from the motor terminal. Thus the integrated circuit of the magnetic detector module is protected from adverse influence generated when the terminal of the magnetic detector module and the motor terminal short-circuit. However, since the terminals of the magnetic detector module need be located in a limited area in the connector part, the terminals of the magnetic detector module cannot be freely located. If two magnetic detector modules are provided in the electronic throttle apparatus, locations of such magnetic detector modules are limited.